Agencies must adhere to the following policies for removable media regardless of classification of the data being stored.
A. Removable Media is defined as a device or media that is readable and/or writeable by the end user and is able to be moved from computer to computer without modification to the computer. This removable media policy pertains to, but is not limited to all devices and accompanying media that fit the following criteria:1. Portable USB-based flash drives, also known as thumb drives, jump drives, or key drives;2. Memory cards in SD, CompactFlash, Memory Stick or any related flash-based supplemental storage media;3. USB card readers that allow connectivity to a PC;4. Portable MP3 and MPEG-playing music and media player-type devices such as iPods with internal flash or hard drive-based memory that support a data storage function;5. PDAs, cell phones, and Smartphones with internal flash or hard drive-based memory that support a data storage function;6. Digital cameras with internal or external memory support;7. Removable memory-based media, such as rewritable DVDs, CDs, tapes, and floppy disks;9. Any hardware that provides connectivity to USB devices through means such as wireless or wired network access; and10. Any applicable emerging technology.B. Agency data must only be stored on agency-approved removable media.C. Refer to Chapter 9 of the ESP for details regarding data encryption.D. Guidelines for disposal/transfer of removable media must be followed. Refer to Chapter 15 of the ESP for details regarding hardware/media disposal.E. Agencies utilizing removable media must consider:1. Implementing a management platform that allows centralized security policy administration to all agency-approved removable media.2. Implementing policy to define how removable media can be used within the agency. Miss. Code Ann. § 25-53-1 to § 25-53-25